The storage and disposal of feminine hygiene products such as pads, tampons or the like poses a difficult problem for females during menses. Storage of feminine hygiene products often includes placing the product in a purse, bag or similar object until use. The product may be visible when a woman needs to go into her purse for other objects and cause embarrassment or other discomfort. Disposal of feminine hygiene products often causes other obstacles. Often it is difficult to dispose of the products after use, especially when away from home, as public restrooms do not always have adequate disposal facilities such as a tampon disposal container and if you are a guest in someone's home, you may not want to dispose of it there. In the past, women have wrapped the used product in toilet paper or similar material until they can dispose of it in a proper disposal container. This method is not only unsanitary, it can cause embarrassment and social distress as well as creating external problems such as odor and potential health conditions due to the unsanitary method of previous disposal.
A variety of systems exist for storage of feminine hygiene products, such systems being made up of a container, pouch or similar device for storage of single or multiple products. The prior art relating to these storage containers includes specific configurations such as a triangular shape and a hinged clamshell shape. This invention does not relate to a specific configuration, although in one preferred embodiment the invention is of a generally rectangular shape. Products also exist for single storage of feminine hygiene products through use of plastic, paper or similar material covering the single product.
Methods and products for the disposal of feminine hygiene products are also known in the prior art. Most types of disposal systems consist of a disposal bag wherein the user is required to dispose of the product immediately. Storage of used feminine hygiene products for later disposal are not known in the prior art.
There is therefore a need for a feminine hygiene product storage and waste disposal system that incorporates both a compartment for storage of feminine hygiene products prior to use and a compartment for storage for feminine hygiene products after use for immediate disposal, or in the alternative, for later disposal if facilities do not exist for immediate disposal.